Sun suit



April 25, 1933. G. F, EARNSHAW SUN SUIT Filed Deo. 22, 1931 A77 fam/fx 3Q tion supported by a pair of shoulder straps Patented Apr. 25, 1933 UNITED STATES GEORGE F. EARNSHAW, OF NEWTON, MTA.SSACHUSTTS,y lASSI KNITTING COMPANY, O F NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A A(JO:RIPORA'IION OF MASSA,-

V CHUSETTS y 'l SUN SUIT Application filed December 22, Serial No. 582,520.

This invention relates to a play suit of the type known Ias a sun suit, and is more par`l ticularly designed for use by children.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a sun suit for out of door use which will expose to the influence of sunlight and air as much of the body of the wearer as is consistent with the dictates of modesty.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a sun suit having a front panel of means attached to the back straps for holding the panel close to the breast portion of the body to insure a snug iit.

Y A further object of the invention is the provision of a garment easy to put on and take off and which is attractive and colorful in appearance.

Other objects of the invention will be more specifically set forth hereinafter.

In the drawing there is shown, for the purpose of illustrating the invention, asun suit constructed in accordance therewith, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the sun suit: Fig. 2 a rear view and Fig. 3 a rear view of the upper portion of the sun suit showing the back portions of the shoulder straps separated to facilitate the putting onof the suit.

In its preferred form, my invention contemplates a garment comprising a trunk porpermanently attached to the front and rear thereof with a shield or-panel of netted or mesh material for concealing the breast portion of the body. The trunk portion is preferably of the abbreviated legless type in order to expose as much as possible of the body to sunlight and air, and theshield orpanel, while concealing the portionA of the body covered by it, yet permits the passage of sunlight a-nd air through the openings-in the material. A strap extending from each side of the panel to the back portionvof one of the shoulder straps holds the panel close to the front of the body to insure a snug lit.

Referring to the drawing, the trunk or body portion is shown as preferably'made of knitted material which may be of light wool or other suitable material with the wales running lengthwise the body so that that portion of the garment is stretchable laterally.

The body portion may be made of tubular knitted material or of separate pieces stitched together. Asr shown, itl comprises' a front 10 and a backp12 connected together by a crotchy portion 14, preferably all in one piece. On each side the front and back may be stitched together, if desired, but I have shown the trunk portion as having side inserts or panels 16 of netted or mesh material for permitting sunlight and air to reach the thighs of the wearer without exposing them to view. These inserts are fastened to the front and back parts by elastic zigzag stitch-` ing 18. Any suitable mesh material maybe used for this purpose. The leg openings 22 are finished by bands 24 whichare folded longitudinally into a double thickness," the longitudinal edges being fastened vto the front, crotch, side, and back portions yby elastic stitching 26. These bands are preferably of knitted material with the wales running across the band so that they are stretchable in a longitudinal direction around the leg opening which insures a cl-ose iit around the leg or thigh. A waistband 28 of material similar to that of the leg bands andfolded in like manner is similarly attached by elastic stitching 29 to the upper edges of the front, back and side portions. Y In attaching the leg bands and waist bands to the body'portion' of the garment, the various' edges of the latter are inserted between the two longitudinal edges of the bands which are turned inwardly to present folded edges and the parts are then stitchedtogether inthat condition.

yThe crotch of the bodyportion is reinforcednby an inner layer 30 of knitted material' which is fastened to the front 10 and rear 12 on' curved lines by elastic stitching 32 and 34 respectively, the side Vedges of the reenforlcement being inserted in the legopening bands 24 and secured thereinV by the stitching 26. These garments are, designed to be made in various colors but preferably the reenforcement 30 is of the natural color of the yarn or white.y y p 'l Y For supporting the trunk or body portion, a pair of shoulder straps is provided which straps have frontportons 36, permanently GNOR TO EARNSHAWk gf;

straps to slip off the shoulders of the wearer is counteracted to hold the straps in proper position.

The shoulder straps may be made of any suitable material and in any manner but preferably they are made of knitted material with the wales running longitudinally the straps to-prevent stretching in that direction. They are, however, expansible, laterally which tends toV prevent rolling or buncliing. The front portions 36 of the straps are preferably narrower than the rear portions 38 which vis due to the fact that a neck binding 40 is joined to the latter portions. Preferably, the front portions of the straps and the neck binding are of double thickness formed by folding suitable knitted material longitudinally Vand stitching the free. edges together and the rear portions of theslioulder straps are formed by continuing the neck band and Jfastening its fiee edges to the free edgesflof the continuation of the front p0rtions of the shoulder straps by suitable elastic stitching 42. Where the neck band joins the front portions 36 of the straps, the width of the straps is increased so that over the shoulders and in the back the straps lie fiat and any tendency t-o roll or to curl is eliminated.

'For concealing the breast portion of the wearer, a shield or panel 46 is inserted betweenv the front portions 86 of the shoulder straps and is fastened thereto and to the neck band 40. Preferably, the panel extends downwardly to the waist band, thereby filling in the entire space in the front ofthe garment between the neck band and waist band. The shield or panel may be made of any suitable material which will conceal or obscure that portion of the body covered by it and yet leave the same exposed to the influence of sunlight and air. Preferably, it is made of a nettedor open mesh material of knitted formation having openings suffi-l ciently large to admit sunlight and air but notso large as' to expose the front of the body to view. The open mesh material may be made in Vvarious patterns and one such is shown in the drawing. f

The shield or panel 46vis first cut from the material to the desired shape and size and its lower edge is fastened tothe inner face of the waist band at its upper front edge bv elastic stitching 4:8V or in any other suitablueJ niaiinei, and its side and top edges are then inserted between the free longitudinal edges of the front portions 36 of the shoulder straps and of the neck band respectively and fastened therein by stitching 50 and 52 respectively. This stitching not only fastens the panel in position but also binds together the free longitudinal edges of the neck band and shoulder straps so that one row of stitching suffices in each case. At the same time the stitching 48 extending on the front from one side ofthe garment to the other is utilized for fastening the ends of the portions 36 of the shoulder straps to the waist band. rThe ends of the rear portions 38 of the slioulder straps are secured to the waist band by two rows of ordinary stitching 54.

Preferably, the shoulder straps are detachably fastened together at their crossing in the back and any suitable means may be employed for this purpose such as a snap fastener of usual form comprising ball and socket members 5S and 58.

For lioldingtlie front'niesh panel close to the body at all times and especially when the wearer is stooping over or when the posture of the 'body might tend to throw it away from the body, 1 provide a pair of s ide straps 60, each of which is fastened by stitching at one end to the inner face of the front portion 36 of one of the shoulder straps and at its other end to the same face of the rear portion 38 of the saine shoulder strap ator adjacent the point of crossing of the two shoulder straps. Y Y

The side straps may be made of any suitable material in any suitable manner but preferably are knitted in cylindrical forni in cross section with the wales ruiming longitudinally the straps which permits of a limited stretch in the direction of the wales. Vhen applied to the garment the side straps are ressed into a Hat condition;

l hen the sun suit is worn and the shoulder straps are fastened together at the crossing in the back, the-side straps pass under the arms and hold the mesh panel close to the front portion of the body irrespective of the posture of the wearer.

The garment of my invention maybe made of any suitable material or of various materials to suit various uses, or of different colored materials, and may be decorated to addto its attractive appearance.

In use the garment is put on by unfasteniiig the shoulder straps at the crossing in the back and stepping into the trunk portion and then drawing the straps upwardly over the shoulders'and finally fastening the straps at the crossing point, and the garmentis taken off by reversing these steps. The garment can, therefore, be put on and removed very quickly. Vlien on it gives the utmost freedom of movement to the wearer without restricting motion in any respect and at the same time exposes the body t0 the fullest d@- grec permissible with modesty to sunlight and air.

The advantage of a front panel of netted or mesh material is apparent because while it conceals the portion of the body covered thereby, yet it permits that concealed portion to receive a benefit from the sunlight and air passing through the openings in the mesh material.

It is to be understood that the garment shown in the drawing and described hereinbefore is merely illustrative of the invention and that the invention is not to be limited to the form shown and described since it may l be embodied in various other forms of construction all witliin t-he purview of the following claims.

That .l claim is:

l. An article of the character described consisting of a sun suit comprising a trunk portion, supporting means including a pair of shoulder straps, each secured at its ends to the front and back portions of said trunk portion at the Waist line thereof, said straps being crossed in the back and provided with snap fastening means for fastening them together at the said crossing, a neck portion connecting the straps at the frontthereof near their shoulder engaging portions, a front shield or panel filling in the space between sai-d straps, neck portion and trunk portion, said shield or panel being of -a mesh formation sufci-ently close to conceal t-he front upper portion of th-e body from view and yet leave the same exposed to th-e influence of sunlight, and a pair of side straps for holding said shield or panel close to the body irrespective of the posture of the wearer, each of said straps being permanently fastened at one end to the front portion of one of said shoulder straps and at its other end to the rear portion lof the same strap at the point of the crossing of sai-d straps.

2. An article of the character described consisting of a chil-ds play suit comprising a trunk portion, supporting means including a pair of shoulder straps crossed in back and each secured at its front and back ends to the trunk portion at the Waist line thereof, a front shield member carried by said supporting means and substantially free from trunk supporting strain, said shield member being of a size and mesh formation suiiiciently close to conceal the breast portion of the body from view and yet leave the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, the other areas between the parts .of the supporting means above said trunk portion being substantially open to leave the body of the wearer above the trunk portion fully exposed except for said supporting means and front shield member and a pair of side straps for holding said shield member close to the body irrespective of the posture of the wear-er, each of said straps being permanently fastened at one end to the front portion of one of said shoulder straps andv at its other end to the rear portion of the same strap at the point of the crossing of said straps. v

3. An artic-le of the character described consisting of a childs play suit comprising a trunk portion, supporting means includino` a pair of shoulder straps crossed in back an each secured at its front and back -ends to the trunk portion at the waist line thereof, a front shield member carried by said supporting means and substantially free from trunk supporting strain, said sheil-d member being of a size and mesh formation Suiiiciently close to conceal the breast portion of the body from view and yet leave the same exposed to the influence of sunlight, the other areas between the parts of the supporting means above sai-d trunk portion being substantially open to leavethe body of the wearer above the trunk portion fully exposed except for said supporting means and front shield member and a pair of side straps for holding said shield member close to the body irrespective of the posture'of the wearer, each of said straps being permanently secured at one end to the front portion of on-e of said shoulder straps and at its other end to the rear portion of the same shoulder strap adjacent the crossing of the shoulder straps.

4:. A play suit including a trunk portion, a pair of shoulder straps, each secured at one end to the said trunk portion at the waist line and adjacent one side thereof and at its other end to the back of the trunk portion, said straps being crossed in the back, means for fastening said straps together at said crossing, a neck portion connecting the straps at the front thereof near their should-er engaging portions, a front shield or panel filling in the space between said straps, neck portion and trunk portion, said shield or panel being of a mesh formation sufficiently close to conceal the front upper portion of the body from view and yet lea-ve the same exposed to the influence of sunlight and al pair of side straps for holding said shield member close to the body irrespective lof the posture of the wearer each of said straps being permanently fastened to the front and back portions of the same strap.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of December, 1931.

GEORGE F. EARNSHAW. 

